1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of remote detection of organic materials and more particularly to systems and methods of detecting the presence of organic materials, including life forms, in situ in ice.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A system for remotely detecting the existence of and analyzing organic materials, including life forms, in ice in situ can have a number of uses. For example, such a system could be used to determine the presence and quantity of organic materials and contaminants in ice. Additionally, such a system could be used to map biological communities on the underside of or within ice and conduct in situ bio-optical variability measurements. Such measurements, combined with environmental measurements such as temperature, salinity, ambient light, and so forth, may be useful in determining the life cycles and requirements of different organisms and organic materials, and effects thereon caused by human encroachment.
Several arrangements have been developed for detecting organic materials. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,187 to Barringer discloses a method for remotely sensing hydro-carbon seeps by bioluminescence of hydrocarbons, bacteria and other microorganisms. U.S. Pat. No. 3,449,571 to Hoerman et al. discloses a method for medical sampling using phosphorescence to identify microorganisms. U.S. Pat. No. 3,470,373 to Brewer et al. discloses a method of identifying microorganisms by phosphorescence. U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,225 to Wheaton et al. discloses a method for measuring fluorescence in situ in seawater. U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,882 to Cooper et al. discloses a method of measuring contamination in situ in soil via fluorescence by using a soil penetrometer to probe the soil. However, none of these references can remotely detect organic material in situ in ice. Thus, what is needed is a system for the remote detection of organic material in ice in situ.